Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 30

Adhyāya 25 — Liṅga-māhātmya (The Chapter on the Liṅga): Hari’s Śiva-Worship and the Fiery Pillar Theophany

Devanagari script

ततः प्रणम्य शिरसा शङ्करं नीललोहितम् / आजगाम पुरीं कृष्णः सो ऽनुज्ञातो हरेण तु

Transliteration

tataḥ praṇamya śirasā śaṅkaraṃ nīlalohitam / ājagāma purīṃ kṛṣṇaḥ so 'nujñāto hareṇa tu

Translation

Alors Kṛṣṇa inclina la tête devant Śaṅkara, le Nīlalohita, le Seigneur bleu et rougeoyant, et revint à la cité, ayant réellement reçu l’autorisation de Hari.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• शिरसा: with (his) head
• शिरसा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; साधन/करण (means)

• शङ्करम्: Śaṅkara
• शङ्करम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नीललोहितम्: blue-and-red (epithet)
• नीललोहितम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील + लोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (coordinative: ‘blue and red’), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (qualifies शङ्करम्)

• आजगाम: came
• आजगाम: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• पुरीम्: to the city
• पुरीम्: कर्म (Karma/Goal as object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गन्तव्य-देश

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta; in apposition to कृष्णः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अनुज्ञातः: having been permitted
• अनुज्ञातः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: भूतकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त; ‘permitted/allowed’), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (qualifies सः/कृष्णः)

• हरेण: by Hari
• हरेण: कर्ता (Agent in passive/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृ-करण (agent in passive)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक (emphasis/contrast)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing the event)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Shankara (Shiva)
• Nīlalohita (Rudra)
• Krishna
• Hari (Vishnu)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

By presenting reverence moving seamlessly between Śaṅkara and Hari, the verse implies a single divine sovereignty expressed through multiple names—supporting the Purāṇic vision that the Supreme is one, approached through different forms.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes praṇāma (humble prostration) as a foundational devotional discipline—an outer act that stabilizes inner surrender (śaraṇāgati), which the Kurma Purana frequently aligns with yogic purification and grace (anugraha).

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

It depicts functional unity: Kṛṣṇa honors Śiva (Śaṅkara) while also acting under Hari’s sanction, reflecting the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis rather than sectarian separation.